Features and benefits

Reduces the time and minimizes the skill-set required to perform the calibration and testing

Increases the reliability and accuracy by removing inconsistencies with manual calibration

The BSX BERTScope series provides the tools and flexibility you need to visualize and control the handshaking and link training process for PCIe 3.0/4.0 devices.

Applications

PCIe Receiver Testing for:

Host and device silicon validation

NVMe and SATA Express physical layer electrical testing

Add-in card and system compliance testing

Manufacturing test

Complete BERTScope automation for receiver testing

The BERTScope Automated PCIe Receiver Solution is designed to streamline the tedious and labor-intensive receiver test workflow. No longer is expert PCIe domain knowledge required to configure, calibrate, test, and document the results. Fast and accurate BERT-based testing provides high test throughput, intuitive and fast margin testing, and availability of a wide range of debugging tools when further testing is required. The result is high test productivity from setup through to the documentation of results.

This solution can also be used for the latest, emerging storage interfaces such as next-generation SSD and host controller interfaces that utilize NVMe and SATA Express protocols that reside on top of a PCIe physical layer.

Automated stress calibration

An important step in preparing for receiver testing is the calibration of the stress sources to ensure that the stress applied at the test fixture to the device under test is truly compliant with the test standard. In the past, these calibrations were often the most tedious and error-prone steps in the receiver test setup process. With the PCIe Receiver Automation Software, the calibration of the stress "recipe" is completely automated, including the calibration data. For test configurations that do not change, this step only needs to be performed once, and the stored calibration data is immediately available to be recalled. Engineers can spend less time calibrating, and more time testing.

Locating EH/EW targets

Calibration to final EH/EW targets

Automatic characterization and precise calibration of de-emphasis

Automatic characterization and precise calibration of preshoot

Automatic characterization and precise calibration of random jitter

Loopback initiation and link training

Before the receiver test can start, the device-under-test (DUT) must be put in the proper test mode, called Loopback, where the device is re-transmitting the exact same data that was received. Entering Loopback mode is challenging because of the variety of loopback negotiation sequences across the range of PCIe devices. The BERTScope PCIe software provides various techniques, including Link Training, to train and optimize the link for receiver testing.

Flexible link training and loopback control

Pattern and protocol sequencer

The BSX includes a pattern/protocol sequencer that allows users to create their own protocol-based patterns and link state traversals via stimulus-response feedback. The sequencer assists users in initiating and debugging protocol handshaking by facilitating the creation of customizable protocol sequences.

The sequencer supports up to 128 states and two levels of loop nesting. Advancing from state to state in the sequence can be accomplished by software control, external signal, or error detector match. The error detector can match up to 16 user-defined blocks, with 128 bit/s per block, and a stimulus/response trigger output allows cross-triggering of the oscilloscope.

BER map

One of the key challenges setting up the link is tuning or determining the optimal RxEQ settings. The BER Map feature provides an automated way to scan the PCIe TxEQ coefficient matrix to determine the optimal TxEQ for a receiver's RxEQ settings.

Automated BER map result

Preset test

Preset testing is a critical part of the PCIe receiver test and is a single-click operation with the PCIe Automation Software. With real-time stress adjustment, quick synchronization, and BER testing ability, the BERTScope provides the ideal platform for fast jitter compliance testing. Test results are stored using the built-in database for later recall and report generation.

PCIe Preset test results

Beyond testing compliance, the automation software also provides a single-click solution for finding the ultimate tolerance limits of the device under test, termed “search for margin”.

Remote control protocol

The test software can be operated remotely through ASCII commands sent through TCP/IP, giving engineers further flexibility in designing “beyond compliance” tests.

Debugging tools

When a device fails to meet the test requirements, the operator has the power of the full range of BERTScope debugging tools. From intuitive and fast manual stress adjustment, pattern sequencing error location analysis, and jitter decomposition, the BERTScope can help identify subtle issues that other instruments might miss.

Description: DC Block, SMA, 26 GHz Vendor: Tektronix
www.tek.com
Tektronix PN: PSPL5500A, PSPL5501A, or PSPL5508
Quantity: 2
Note: This is an optional accessory and not shown in any of connection diagrams, but can be used if DC offset is encountered in any signal path.